Aug 11, 2010

Dutch Diplomats Get 'Geert Wilders Lessons'

"Publieksdiplomatie kabinetsformatie voor buitenlandse partners

Passief:

Q: Why is an anti-Islam party receiving some much support in the Netherlands?

- The Freedom Party (PVV) won 24 of the 150 seats in the elections to the House of
Representatives. Of those who voted on 9 June 2010, 15, 5% voted for the PVV.
- This is an increase of 15 seats in the most recent parliamentary elections relative to the 9
seats it won in 2006.
- It is not the task of the Dutch government to interpret the results of these democratic
elections.

Q: How can Geert Wilders participate in the formation of a new Dutch government, given that he is
being prosecuted for inciting hatred and discrimination (art. 137d, Criminal Code) and insulting a
group of persons (art 137c, Criminal Code?)

- Talks are being held on forming a government between the Christian Democrats (CDA)
and free-market liberal VVD. This is not the first time they have done so in Dutch
parliament history. At present is no prospect of the PVV’s participating in the next
government.
- Freedom of expression is a universal human right enshrined in the Dutch Constitution.
This means that every Dutch person is free to say what he or she thinks within the limits
of the law.
- This fundamental right is subject to statutory restrictions: it must not be used for the
purposes of defamation or inciting hatred or discrimination. It is up to an independent
court to decide whether the law has been broken.
- On 13 January this year, criminal proceedings against Mr. Wilders were instituted at
Amsterdam district court on charges of inciting hatred and discrimination and insulting a
group of persons. The judgment is expected on 2 November 2010. These proceedings do
not restrict Mr. Wilders’ activities as a politician.

Q: Will the PVV be in the next government?

- Governments in the Netherlands always consist of coalitions of parties of different
persuasions. The talks on forming a new coalition government are still in progress.
- At the moment, the PVV’s participation in the new government is not under discussion.
Talks are being held on forming a government between the Christian Democrats and free-
market liberal VVD. But these two parties do not have a majority in the House of
Representatives.
- That is why there is talk of the PVV giving the new government parliamentary support.
This means that the PVV would sign an agreement committing it to support certain policies of a minority government, so that the government could count on a parliamentary
majority on those issues.

Q: If the PVV gives the government parliamentary support, what will that mean for the treatment of
Muslims in the Netherlands?

- The Dutch constitution guarantees equal treatment for everyone in the Netherlands.
Discrimination is prohibited by article 1.
- Fundamental rights such as freedom of religion and belief (article 6). Freedom of expression
(article 7) and freedom of education (article 23) are also enshrined in the Dutch Constitution.
As far as we know, the next government is not planning to amend the Constitution.
- The Constitution can only be amended if a majority in both houses of the of the Dutch
parliament decides to do so. Parliament is then dissolved and fresh elections held, and the new
Houses of Representatives and Senate have t pass the amendment by a two-thirds majority.

Q: Will the building of mosques be banned? Wil the Koran be banned? Will Islamic schools be
banned?

- A ban on building mosques would be contrary to the freedom of religion and belief, which is
enshrined in the Dutch Constitution.
- A ban on the Koran would be contrary to several fundamental rights (freedom of expression
and freedom of religion and belief) which are enshrined in the Dutch Constitution.
- A ban on Islamic schools would be contrary to freedom of education, which is enshrined in
the Dutch Constitution (article 23).
- As far as we know the next government does not intend to amend the Constitution. The
Constitution can only be amended if a majority in both houses of the Dutch parliament decides
to do so. Parliament I then dissolved and fresh elections held, and the new House of
Representatives and Senate have to pass the amendment by a two-thirds majority.

- The Dutch government has said that Turkey can join the European Union if it meets all the
relevant criteria. On this question NL is strict but fair. Turkey itself will have to carry out the
necessary reforms if it wants to follow the long road to EU membership.
- It is up to the next government to decide whether to continue that policy."

Following my last post to your blog, I have discovered that the Danske Folkepartie, which supports the Danish government but is not part of it, is about to announce that NO immigrants from non-Western countries should be allowed into Denmark.

This will cause uproar with the EU commissars, but it is being proposed because third world immigrants take Danish social security without paying into it. There is a fear that the social security system will break down as a result.

Denmark's Muslim reproductive rate will fall as a result of this ban, so that they may never be faced with a majority Muslim electorate to get a Danish Islamic party into government.